This invention relates to hernia supports or trusses, and in particular, to a combination brief or undergarment and hernia support which provides both support and comfort to a wearer.
Many devices have been employed and proposed for the wearer""s relief and comfort from reducible inguinal hernias. Predominantly these devices have been in the form of belts or trusses, while others have taken the form of briefs or undergarments which include a combined hernia support. However, the combined type devices which have heretofore been available have tended to be uncomfortable to wear, have provided insufficient or improperly directed support to the hernia area, or have lacked a capability for providing effective and convenient user control of the degree of support in plural areas. Illustrative examples of prior combined type devices appear in the following United States Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,272, issued Nov. 22, 1983 to Nelkin, describes a combination underpant and hernia truss which comprises a brief having front, rear and crotch portions with spaced leg holes and a waist opening having a waist band. A truss pad is attached to the front portion and protrudes inwardly of the brief to engage and support a herniated abdominal area. An adjustable length belt encircles the brief and the wearer, and is connected to the center of the front portion of the brief adjacent the pad, for directing hernia retaining force on the pad. Provision is made for both left and right truss pads. The encircling belt is free from securement to other portions of the brief and may be moved and positioned upwardly and downwardly by the wearer. The device thus constitutes in essence a complete brief in addition to a largely separate hernia belt. The belt encircles the body of the wearer with the loose belt ends being fastened together at the wearer""s back. When it is thus secured, its diameter forms in effect a second waistband which tends to cause discomfort while at the same time providing a limited nature and degree of hernia retaining support adjustability.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,264, issued Jun. 9, 1987, to Frangi, describes an underpant brief and hernia truss. An elastic belt is disposed at the circumferential upper edge of the brief, and a pair of at least partly elastic bands has upper ends which are affixed to the elastic belt and pass laterally of the crotch of the pant, adjacent the leg holes of the brief. These bands include an inelastic segment on the front of the underpant extending diagonally across hernia affected regions of the wearer. Pockets are included over the hernia affected region for receiving a retaining pad. The assembled and finished garment is essentially an integrated one piece garment. The dimensions and securements of the sewn together layers are fixed at the time of manufacture, whereby the fit and support provided by the garment are not susceptible of user adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,003, issued Nov. 22, 1977, to Kleber-Sailhen, describes a brief-like undergarment for hernia patients. The garment is multi-layered, wherein the inner front and rear portions are provided with reinforcements. These reinforcements comprise a front ventral girdle which is joined at its ends to a back pelvic portion. Both reinforcements are stitched to the respective front and back garment portions which they reinforce. Hernia pad pockets are provided at the inner surface of the front reinforced garment portion. Adjustable tensioning is applied to the inner surfaces of the hernia pad pockets by two elastic thigh straps which extend slidably through the hems outlining the leg openings of the brief-like garment. Each thigh strap is fixedly attached at one end to either the front or rear inside of the composite garment, while its other end is adjustably attached to the opposing portion of the garment. This adjustability entails changing the lengths of the elastic straps extending between the legs of the wearer.
While these prior devices purport to serve their intended purposes, for the most part, their designs are such as to produce a significant degree of complexity of manufacture, fit, and adjustment and/or discomfort for the wearer.
The present invention relates to a hernia brief which comprises an undergarment in the form of an elastic brief having one or more abdominal pockets for receiving one or more pads (right or left, or right and left), adapted to provide the desired hernia support. A pair of external front tension control straps is attached to a front central portion of the brief and the straps extend outwardly therefrom in opposite directions. The straps extend over the abdominal pockets and their enclosed pads and have distal ends which are adapted to be adjustably attached to outside surfaces of frontal areas of the brief on the other sides of the pockets. The points of attachment of the distal ends are independently adjustable and are preferably disposed on side portions of the brief forward of oppositely disposed lateral side centers of the hips of the wearer.
This arrangement eliminates the need for a torso encircling circumferential strap, allows a range of sizing, provides more accurate and precise individual pad adjustment, and provides wearer comfort. The adjustability of fastening is preferably achieved in a convenient fashion through hook and loop securements of the strap ends to frontal or side areas of the brief whereby the discomfort of multiple torso encircling waist bands is avoided. The unique arrangement also provides a garment fit which is largely independent of the adjustment of the support provided by the pads. Another feature of the invention is the use of a two piece seat or rear panel having an upper portion of heavier material which assists in providing back support while carrying and distributing tension which may be transferred by the tension straps. A still further feature of the device of the invention is the provision the convenience of dual toilet access openings through use of a novel but simple arrangement of a minimum of elements. This arrangement of the hernia brief facilitates efficiency and economy of manufacture
It is a primary of object of the present invention to provide an improved hernia brief, which eliminates or alleviates the shortcomings of the foregoing exemplar hernia devices described in the patent literature.
It is another object of the invention to provide such an improved hernia device which provides easy, individualized, and precise adjustment, is comfortable to the wearer, and which provides an adjustable fit for different waist sizes.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved hernia device which is comprised of an undergarment brief having front, side, rear and crotch portions defining spaced leg openings, wherein the front portion has one or two truss pads supported from its inner surface to protrude inwardly of the brief to engage and support abdominal hernia areas of the body of a wearer, with the truss pads independently held in position and urged toward the body of the wearer by a pair of straps having inner ends secured to the center of the front portion and extending in opposite directions with distal ends independently and adjustably secured to the side portions forward of opposite lateral side centers of the hips of the wearer.